Precision cleaning and drying systems typically utilize a wide variety of cleaning solutions including various solvents, detergents, or other aqueous mixtures. These systems operate to clean and dry various devices or parts such as medical devices, optical instruments, wafers, PC boards, hybrid circuits, disk drive components, precision mechanical or electromechanical components, or the like.
Many prior art systems make use of solvents classified as VOC's or Volatile Organic Compounds. VOC's are organic chemicals that have high vapor pressures such that VOC's can easily form vapors at ambient temperatures and pressure. While VOC's can be successful in precision cleaning system, the use and disposal of VOC's is heavily regulated due to concerns regarding harmful environmental and heath effects resulting from exposure and/or discharge of VOC's.